Animation magic that will spirit you away.
Released: 2001
Genre(s): Animation, Adventure, Family
Those unfamiliar with anime may only be able to associate the term with the mainstream goofiness of shows like "Dragon Ball Z" or "Sailor Moon," and fat, smelly nerds, clad in Acapulco shirts sporting images of dragons shooting laser beams out of their eyeballs. While "Spirited Away" may appear to be nothing more than a Japanese children's cartoon, this movie views far more like a moving piece of gorgeous artwork. Director/writer Hayao Miyazaki, one of the crucial leaders at the legendary animation workshop Studio Ghibli, crafts a piece of cinema with a depth and weight rarely felt even within live-action films. Disney does the experience justice by doing a beautiful job of localizing everything, with the English voice-acting cast in particular being delightfully exceptional. The characters are pure fantasy, but whimsical, charming, lovable ones that feel so alive that letting go of them at the end of the movie is easily one of the most bittersweet farewells in my recent memory. A soaring soundtrack by famous composer Joe Hisaishi stands out as some of his very best work to ever make it into a major production, only further enhancing the raw emotion of the film. Even though Miyazaki's masterpiece incorporates some brief, yet profound, social commentaries, "Spirited Away" is in actuality a wild, surreal, family adventure, enjoying more silly, fun moments of wonder than heavy, dark themes. There's definitely enough excitement here to please action fans, and enough deep, thought-provoking elements to satiate the ponderer in all of us. An incredibly memorable experience, this is the movie to try out if you're unsure about getting into feature-length anime: simply turn down the lights and let the magic take you to an incredible realm of imagination and heart.
Rating (out of 5): 5
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